The Lake Page 10

  “Yes, William’s been keeping you secret from us…and I can see why,” Mr. Meyer says, as he looks me up and down. He’s clearly evaluating my worthiness, but I don’t know why he’s acting like he’s never seen me before. The man gave me more than the once over that night on the Green. “I had no idea he was cultivating such a friendship while he’s been working for Luke.” He says the word with abnormal disdain. “Now that we know you and William are such good friends, we must have you and your aunt and uncle for dinner soon,” he continues in a cool and mysterious tone. I can see where Will gets his charm. There’s something about Gregory Meyer that is infectious. He is definitely more than a few years older than his wife – 15, maybe 20. Their age difference makes me wonder about her and I have to pinch myself for being so nasty.

  “That would be very nice, thank you.” I say as politely as possible.

  Will’s parents excuse themselves to go schmooze with the other guests. I look at Will and my heart sinks. I hadn’t expected him to tell his parents about every minute we’ve spent together, but I’m hurt that he’s never said anything about me at all. We’ve spent so much time together and have shared some very personal things. I just assumed he would have at least mentioned me.

  I leave Will standing on the patio and walk toward the dock, plagued by the only conclusion I can come to: Will is embarrassed to be my friend. I should have known it was too good to be true. People like me don’t fit with people like Will. He’s just been hospitable to me this whole time. I feel so incredibly foolish. All I want is some time to gather my thoughts but Will is a few steps behind me as I reach our place on the dock.

  “Layla? What’s wrong?” he asks softly.

  “Nothing.” I don’t want to cry. “I understand. It’s ok, really.”

  “What are you talking about?” he asks, confusion crossing his face.

  “I understand why you didn’t want them to know we were…friends…or whatever it is we are,” I stammer.

  “What does that even mean?”

  “I…I feel really stupid. I thought we were friends, but it’s clear that you’re embarrassed by me. I know I’m not like everyone else here, and I thought the same of you. But I guess not, so…I understand.” I push out this response, barely finishing the last syllable without bursting into tears.

  “Layla, it’s not like that. I am different. I’m anything but embarrassed of my association with you. You don’t understand,” he says, starting to pace, running his hands through his hair.

  “Then what is it? Why didn’t you want them to know we’re friends?” I ask.

  Will continues to pace, shaking his head as if arguing with himself. He stops, seeming to have come to a conclusion of his own. It takes him a few moments before he speaks. “It’s not that I don’t want them to know we’re friends. It’s that I don’t want them to know that…I want more than that.” Will says.

  “What?” I’m in shock. These are the last words I expected to hear in this moment, or ever for that matter. Even in my wildest of dreams I never imagined that Will would see me as anything but a friend. My heartbeat is increasing rapidly and I can feel the blood rushing to my head. I think I might faint.

  “From the moment you slammed into me that night at the concert I have loved every second of every minute that I have spent with you. I would rather spend my time with you than with anyone else.” He takes my hand in both of his.

  I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. I’m speechless.

  “But…my parents can’t know,” he says, releasing my hand and walking to the side of the dock. He rests his elbow on a post, and his head in his hand.

  “Why can’t they know?” This conversation is beginning to resemble the one I had with Marcus.

  “It’s complicated, Layla. Trust me.”

  “Does this have something to do with Holly?” I hate the way the words roll off my tongue and I immediately regret saying them.

  “You…spoke with Marcus.” Will breathes a heavy sigh. “Of all the people for you to randomly meet, it had to be him. I’m sure he gave you all the details.” Will looks beaten down. He’s plagued by whatever happened with Holly. I want to comfort him, but am selfishly afraid I won’t get any answers if I do.

  I approach him and put my hand on his arm. “Will, what happened with Holly?” I ask slowly, trying to sound soft and sympathetic.

  It takes him a minute to speak and when he does there’s such sadness in his voice. “Holly and I dated last year. She was the first girl I had ever met whose life goal wasn’t to be a socialite. So, after a couple of months I introduced her to my parents as my girlfriend. Three weeks later she was gone. Her father relocated the family. I tried to get in touch with her but…I haven’t heard from her since. I had no idea what really happened until Marcus told me.” Will’s head is heavy and he’s lost the confident posture I’ve come to love.

  “What did Marcus say?” I ask. This is far more information than what I got from Marcus. I’m both shocked and grateful that Will is being so forthcoming with me. But with every new piece of information, I realize that my life here is going to be much more complicated than I thought.

  “He said that my father came to their house to convince Holly to break up with me. When she refused he gave her two options. She and her parents could relocate with more money than they could dream of, or they could stay and find themselves penniless. Mr. Reynolds knew my father has the connections to do it, so he chose curtain number one. I knew Marcus was telling me the truth because this is one of dad’s trademark moves. He calls it the House Call. He gets people on their own turf so their defenses are down, and then he strikes. There isn’t a business deal he’s made that hasn’t involved a House Call.

  “I don’t blame them for taking the deal. I just hate that I put them in that position. My father has done some terrible things before, but I never thought he’d hurt someone I cared about. I mean…I’m his son.” Will looks up at me and speaks with more seriousness than I’ve ever heard one person speak. “That is why he can’t know how I feel about you. I won’t put you in that position.”

  “Oh, Will.” I put my arms around him and hold him as tightly as I can. I’m so glad that I chose to hug him that night on the porch. If not, I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to do it now, no matter how badly I wanted. “I feel the same way about you.”

  “Layla, I couldn’t be happier to hear you say that. I don’t want you to go away, and I would sacrifice being with you in order to at least have you close to me,” Will says softly.

  “William,” a voice calls and disturbs our tender moment. We turn and see Will’s father approaching the dock. “Is everything alright here?” he asks.

  We stand there silently stunned and I decide that I must improvise to hopefully save Will from the backlash his father may offer.

  “Yes, everything is fine, Mr. Meyer. I was just having a little homesick moment. I’m still adjusting to being away from all my friends back home. Will was being a good friend,” I say, hoping I’m being convincing. I look at Will. “Thanks Will. I promise not to have another meltdown anytime soon.”

  “No problem, Layla. That’s what friends are for. We’ve got each other’s backs,” he says.

  “Well, just as long as everyone here is ok. William, your mother needs you to bring something in from the car.” Mr. Meyer doesn’t linger. He finishes what he has to say and turns to walk back up the path, fully expecting Will to follow him.

  “Yes, sir,” Will replies. “Thank you for that,” he whispers to me.

  “We’ll talk about this later,” I say quietly.

  Will dutifully follows his father and disappears to the other side of the trees. I stand there on the dock for a long time. I can’t move. Everything I now know is overwhelming my mind. The one thing that seemed to be so much an impossibility that I repeatedly shoved it away is now staring me in the face: Will wants me. That must be why he was so hot and cold with me. One minute seeming to want to be with me, the ne
xt changing his demeanor all together and disappearing on me. He was just scared. I don’t know what to think or how to feel. I want to be happy, but I’m torn and confused. Here is this great guy who wants to be with me, and I want to be with him, but we can’t be together.

  The bigger issue is that I now know what happened with Holly. If Will and I were to be together…I know I can’t be bought but…Luke and Claire…I don’t think they have a price tag either, but what is the alternative? Would Gregory Meyer really destroy them if I refused to stay away from Will? The only thing I know for sure is that I want to be with Will, too. I just don’t know how to make that happen. Will says it’s possible, but maybe…

  My thought process is sporadic and wild. Whatever we do, we’ll need an ally. Luke and Claire are my best bet. If I ever wanted to test their trust, now is the time.

  I’m fortunate to find Claire alone in the kitchen gathering snacks to refill outside. I waste no time and tell her the whole story of what transpired from the time I stepped outside and into Greg and Eliana Meyer to now. She isn’t shocked in the least.

  “Yes, that sounds about right,” Claire replies, shaking her head.

  “You knew Mr. Meyer was like this and you didn’t say anything?”

  “What was I going to say, Layla? I didn’t know what would happen between you and Will.”

  “I really care about him, Claire. What am I going to do?” I sit down at the counter and put my head in my hands.

  “You’re not going to do anything. If you and Will can just hold out until graduation, Luke and I can help. But if you press this, if you press him, it could be disastrous,” Claire says.

  “I don’t want you and Luke to get hurt. It would kill me if you lost everything because of me.” I’m starting to hyperventilate, and all that comes to mind is the role I played in the death of my parents. I couldn’t stand it if I was responsible for hurting Luke and Claire, too.

  Claire takes me by the shoulders. “Calm down. It’s ok. Luke and I know how to handle Gregory Meyer. Anyone who’s worked for him for any length of time is smart enough to know that he can turn on you in an instant. We’re prepared so don’t worry about us. I’ll fill Luke in tonight and we’ll talk about this later. Now, you can go back outside and mingle like there’s nothing wrong, or you can go upstairs and I can report an illness to anyone who asks. What would you like to do?” Claire’s voice calms me. She handles crisis better than anyone I’ve ever known; an attribute that I’m certain makes her an outstanding attorney.

  I think for a moment. “I’ll go back outside. Chris and Tyler just got here, and Gwen and Caroline should be here soon. Thanks, Claire.” I take a cleansing breath and exit through the French doors. I find Chris, Tyler and Will sitting at a table, eating. Will looks at me with uncertainty of where he and I stand now that I know his secret. I smile at him as best I can to let him know that everything is ok. At least, I think it’s going to be ok.

  I spend the remainder of the afternoon with my friends trying to act like my life didn’t just take a 180-degree turn. I’m so cautious about doing anything that might create suspicion about Will’s feelings for me, or mine for him, that I’m vigilant to the point that even I think it’s overkill. Now that I know how Will feels about me it’s impossible to go back. Regardless of the outcome, things will never be the same.

  While the boys play Frisbee and toss a football around, Gwen and Caroline introduce me to several girls who are also students at Heyward. They are all very cordial, but as soon as they’re out of earshot I’m filled in on exactly why I need to stay away from them. Those exchanges make me feel at ease; they’re normal conversation for us. The girls run interference with certain others who are, according to them, especially vicious. I feel like I have my own personal security team.

  At the end of the night, Will tells his parents that he offered to stay and help clean up. His father says he doesn’t understand why Luke and Claire never hire anyone to do that for them, but he allows Will to stay. It is, after all, good PR for the Meyer family.

  We sit in the courtyard attempting to sort through the situation. I just couldn’t go to the dock. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to think clearly if I sat there with Will in what I consider to be our place.

  “I didn’t tell my parents we were friends because I was afraid my feelings for you would be apparent. Just the thought of you makes my whole world stop.” Will clears his throat, realizing he’s made quite a statement about me to me. “In my world, girls like you and Holly are almost non-existent. My father would love to choose the girls I date, and has, but his criteria for women are different than mine, which is putting it mildly. I want someone of substance and he chooses girls based on how photogenic they are. His ideal woman wants a guy so obsessed with his job that she can lead her own life separate from him, only to show up on his arm at the appropriate black tie event or ribbon-cutting. That’s what my dad wants for me.” Will sighs heavily. “That’s what my mother became: this submissive thing bending to his every whim. Now that he’s met you, he knows that you’re different, you’re not like the others.”

  “How could he possibly know that I’m not like the other debutants around here?”

  “Anyone who takes half a second of time with you knows that you’re brilliant and focused. You are so beautiful but you have no idea just how beautiful you are. You’re opinionated and have dreams that extend beyond being someone’s arm-candy.” I smile and am sure I’m blushing, too. No one has ever said such amazing things about me before. “And if he meets you again as the girl that I have chosen, it’s only going to reinforce how hard I work not to be like him. It infuriated him that I was with Holly. He considered it a slap in the face to the empire he thinks he’s built for me. It’ll do the same for me to be with you. Layla, I can’t risk losing you. I can’t risk never seeing you again.”

  My head is spinning. His description of me tells me that I didn’t completely lose myself while living with Gram and Gramps. The real Layla has been there all along, just waiting to be unearthed. I know the surfacing has been because of him.

  “If we can’t be together, why tell me how you feel at all?” I ask.

  “I don’t know. I guess I just wanted you to know. We’ve spent so much time together. It was killing me not knowing if you felt the same way. And I know I’ve acted a little hot and cold at times. I’m sorry about that. I know it’s not ideal, but we can make the most out of the time we do have together until graduation, and the summer.”

  Wait. He’s serious about us not being together. “Will…” I sigh, not sure what I’m about to say.

  “I want you to always feel safe with me, Layla, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure you do. I’ll do my best to protect you. I’m never going to let anyone hurt you.” Will leans forward in his chair and takes my hand.

  “I do feel safe with you. I’m just…confused and…I…I wish you hadn’t told me. I could have at least gone along, obliviously pining away for you like some silly schoolgirl. Eventually I may have even given up. But now…” Not knowing what to say, I do the only thing that comes to mind. I stand, walk inside the house, and leave Will sitting there in the moonless night, alone.

  Chapter 12

  I’ve spent the last few days in seclusion in the loft, not sure what to think or how to feel. Nothing is unfolding the way I thought it would and I don’t know what to do.

  I tell Luke and Claire that I don’t want to see or talk to anyone. Claire tells Gwen and Caroline that I’m sick when they call, and brings food up to me when Will is working with Luke, which has been every day. I avoid the lake because I know Will would look for me there. Claire also brings messages from Will. They’re all the same: he wants to see me.

  Sometimes I can hear him talking with Luke in the foyer. I love his voice and miss watching his lips form the words. I hear him tell Luke he just wants to talk to me for a minute; that he just wants to make sure I’m ok. Luke defends my wishes and tells Will he has to wait until I’
m ready to talk to him. My heart wants me to scream out to Will and tell him that I miss him, but my mind won’t allow it.

  I spend hours in my favorite chair thinking…not thinking…staring. I don’t want to move from this spot. I close my eyes and I can still feel Will’s body against mine as we bet on the view that night. It allows me to be close to him when I’m not ready to see him yet.

  I have to snap out of this and consider my options. I’ve wallowed long enough. I’m not about to stop being a sensible girl altogether.

  I run through my options. First, I can leave. If I’m not here, I won’t have to see Will and one day maybe it’ll be as if I never met him. I can tell Luke and Claire that I want to go back to Florida. Maybe there’s still a spot for me at that boarding school. After that I’ll be at Florida State and out of everyone’s hair. But, I’m growing closer to Luke and Claire every day and I don’t want to leave them. They’re all the family I have left and the thought of being without them is too painful.

  Second, I can tell Will I want to be with him. I can throw caution to the wind, follow my heart, and let the pieces of Gregory Meyer fall where they may. If we do that, we run the risk of God only knows what. Everything I understand about Will’s father tells me that he doesn’t rest until he gets what he wants, and this scenario assumes that we are somehow impervious to the perils of Gregory Meyer.

  My decision comes one morning as I wake from a dream that changes my perspective forever.

  I’m in my room. Not my room at my parent’s house, or at Gram or Gramps’, but my room here with Luke and Claire. On my bed are several boxes marked with my name. Some are marked old Layla and some, new Layla. I find the boxes marked old Layla and put them on a high shelf in the closet. These are the boxes I brought when I moved in with Gram and Gramps. The other boxes marked new Layla are the ones I brought from Gram and Gramps’ here to Luke and Claire’s. I don’t recognize all the things inside, but I accept them as mine, unpack them, and put them away.